The present invention pertains to a tool for wallpaper borders, and more particularly, to a tool for supporting and applying a roll of wallpaper border material on a structural surface.
Wallpaper borders are relatively narrow, decorative strips of wallpaper material for applying to the surfaces of walls, ceilings, and similar structures. Such borders may be applied over unpainted and painted surfaces, as well as over other wallpaper. An adhesive agent applied on either the surface to be covered or to the wallpaper border material, or a self-adhesive material formed on the wallpaper border material, bonds the wallpaper border material to the structure.
When wallpaper border material is supplied to consumers, it is typically formed into a roll. Application of the wallpaper border typically requires two people, one to hold and dispense the wallpaper border material and the other to apply the wallpaper border material to a surface. Although one person can apply the wallpaper border, it is a difficult task, at best, to both hold and dispense the material while applying it. Previous attempts to design a tool to facilitate supporting the roll of wallpaper border material on the wall have resulted in cumbersome; complicated devices that are difficult to use and expensive to manufacture.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,633 entitled xe2x80x9cWallpaper Border Roll Holder,xe2x80x9d discloses a tool having a fixed bottom spike and a spring-loaded top spike for attaching the tool to both a wall and a ceiling. A plate attached to the top of the tool with fasteners holds the movable spike in place. The disadvantage here is that the tool must be applied to both the ceiling and the wall, and it requires movable, spring-loaded parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,485, entitled xe2x80x9cWall Surface-Attachable Tool for Hands-Free Support of Roll of Wallpaper Border,xe2x80x9d discloses a generally L-shaped elongate body having probe elements for attachment to a structural member and an L-shaped rod spaced apart from the elongate body member to receive the roll of wallpaper. Standoff sleeves projecting from the elongate body position the tool a predetermined distance from a wall surface. In essence, the device is designed as a pry bar, and if extreme care is not taken in mounting and removing it from a wall surface, a rather large piece of the surface and supporting substrate can be removed. The close proximity of the probe elements to each other also makes the device unstable when mounted to a wall surface.
The present invention is directed to a tool that supports a roll of wallpaper border material on a structure and facilitates application of the wallpaper border material to the structure. In one embodiment, the tool has a handle with a handgrip and integrally formed hand guard; a support post integrally formed with and projecting from the handle; and a mounting member integrally formed with and projecting from the support post, the mounting member configured to releasably mount the tool to the structure and the support post configured to support a roll of wallpaper border material.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the mounting member includes a post and one or more mounting devices associated with the post for removably mounting the tool to the structure. Ideally, the post has a mounting surface that is substantially planar for bearing against the structure, and the mounting device comprises one or more spikes projecting from the mounting surface for manual insertion into the structure. Ideally, the post has a top and bottom, and the spikes are angled down towards the bottom of the post to increase the load-bearing capacity of the tool.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the spikes projecting from the post are located on the post such that holes remaining in the structure when the spikes are removed will be covered by the wallpaper border material.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a tool for supporting a roll of wallpaper border material on a structure is provided. The tool includes a longitudinal member having first and second ends, a first projection extending from the longitudinal member; a second projection extending from the longitudinal member in the same direction as the first projection and including a mounting device to enable removable mounting of the tool to the structure; and a third projection extending from the longitudinal member in the same direction as and located between the first and second projections, the third projection configured to support a roll of wallpaper border material. Ideally, the longitudinal member is integrally formed with the first, second, and third projections, with the first, second, and third projections formed at substantially a right angle to the longitudinal member and in space parallel relationship to one another.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the tool further includes a fourth projection extending from the longitudinal member in the same direction as and located between the first and third projections. Preferably, the first and fourth projections are connected together by a cross-member that is integrally formed with the first and fourth projections.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the third projection has a planar face that is configured to bear against the structure member and includes one or more mounting devices extending from the planar face. Ideally, the mounting devices comprise spikes, with at least two spikes in one embodiment, that extend from the planar face.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, the planar face has a top and a bottom, and the spikes project from the planar face to angle toward the bottom of the planar face to increase the load-bearing capacity of the device when attached to the wall.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the first projection has a substantially smooth surface with a substantially straight portion to enable use of the first projection in smoothing the wallpaper border material as it is applied to the surface of the structural member.